Island



R. H. WHTB. WICK TRIMMBR.

(No Model.)

No 593,262. Patented Nov. 9,1897.

' UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ROBERT H. WHITE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOHENRY A. CHURCH, OF SAME PLACE.

WICK-TRHVIMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,262, dated November9, 1897'.

Application filed April 30, 1897- Serial No. 634,522. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT H. WHITE, of the city and county of Providenceand State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in W'ick-'Irimmers; and I do hereby declare the followingspeciication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,forminga partof the same, to be a full,clear,and exact descriptionthereof.

The present invention relates to a novel device for trimming the Wicksof lamps, and has for its object the production of such a device whichshall be simple and inexpensive in construction and with which thecharred end of the wick may be quickly and accurately removed, so thatthe end of the wick will present an even surface.

The present invention embodies a plate adapted to be moved over the endof the Wicktube and provided with one or more Scrapers which slide alongthe end of the Wick-tube and remove the charred end of the Wick whichprojects beyond the end of said tube, the end of said Wick being leftsubstantially flush with the end of said Wick-tube, any projectingfibers of said Wick being compressed and compacted by the smoothportions of the plate lying between the Scrapers. The plate is alsopreferably provided with guides which serve to retain the plate in placeas it is moved over the end of the Wick-tube, and said guides may be andpreferably are made adjustable, so that the same plate may be used upondifferent sizes of wick-tubes.

In the accompanying drawings are shown two forms of Wick-trimmersembodying the present invention.

Figure l is a plan view of a Wick-trim mer A embodying the presentinvention and adapted for trimming the Wicks of flat burners. Fig. 2 isa sectional view showing the wick-trimmer applied to the end of theWick-tube of a lamp. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aplan View showing a Wick-trimmer embodying the present invention andadapted for trimming the Wicks of cylindrical or Argand burners. Fig. 5is a sectional view on Fig. G is a sectional View on line 6 6,

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, the Wicktrimmer shown therein consistsof a plate l provided with Scrapers 2. The Scrapers 2 are preferablyformed by cutting transverse slots 3 in the plate l, and short Slots Ll,extending from the ends of slots 3, and then bending down the lips thusformed. With this construction openings are provided in front of thescrapers through which the charred portions of the Wick removed bytheScrapers may pass. It is also preferred to arrange the Scrapers at aninclination to the line of motion of the plate l, so that said Scrapersmay have a draw action across the top of the Wick.

A handle 5 is connected to the plate l by means of the arms 6, which areextended beyond the face of said plate and are curved in- Wardly to formguides 7 for holding the plate 1 in position upon the end of theWick-tube, and by bending the guides to change their inclination theymay be adjusted to fit any size of Wick-tube.

The manner of using the device is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. TheWick 8 being moved up until the charred portion is above the end of theWick-tube 9, the plate l is moved back and forth over the end of theWick-tube, being guided in its movement by the guides 7, and theScrapers 2 remove the charred portion of the wick above the end of tube9, leaving the end of the Wick flush With the end of said tube. The endof the Wick is thus quickly and accurately trimmed and presents an evensurface, any projecting fibers being compressed by the dat portions ofthe plate between the Scrapers, and the end of the Wick being furthencompacted by the backs of the Scrapers on the return stroke of theplate.

Referring to Figs. Il, 5, and 6, the trimmer is in the form of adisk-shaped plate l', and the Scrapers 2' are formed, preferably, in thesame manner as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 by bendingdown the lips formed by the slots 3 and 4'. The Scrapers are alsopreferably arranged With their inner ends in advance of their outerends, as shown, so that said Scrapers Will be on an incline to the lineof movement of the plate and have a draw action across the end of theWick and Will also tend to carry the charred portions of the Wick awayfrom the recess Within the Wick-tube. The plate 1 is secured to acylinder 10, which projects above the said plate and serves as a meansfor securing a handle 11 to said plate. A guide, preferably formed by aseries of flexible ngers 12, projects from the face of plate 1 and isadapted to it Within the Wick-tube to hold the plate 1 in place. Thefingers 12 are preferably formed upon the lower end of the cylinder 10,as shown.

The manner of using this device is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The Wick 13having been moved to bring the charred portion above the end of theWick-tube 14, the plate 1 is placed in the position shown with thefingers 12 engaging the Wick-tube and is given a rotary movement, thesera-pers 2 removing the charred portions of the Wick, Which pass upthrough the slots in the plate l'. The end of the Wick is thus quicklyand accurately trimmed iiush with the end of the Wick-tube and presentsan even surface, any protruding iibers being compacted and smoothed downby the flat portions of the plate 1'. The end of the Wick may be furthercompacted, if desired, by giving the plate 1 a movement in the oppositedirection, when the backs of the Scrapers 2 Will slide over the end ofsaid Wick and force the fibers together. In some forms of burners thereis an inner tube Within the Wick-tube, which extends above the end ofthe Wick-tube, as indicated at 15 in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and inorder to adapt the trimmer for use upon such burners it is preferred toleave a space in cylinder 10 below the han dle 11, into which this tubemay extend. For use on this class of burners this cylinder 10 i mayserve as a guide for holding the plate l l in position.

By using a series of ieXible 1ingers for the guide said fingers may bereadily bent to tdifferent sizes of Wick-tubes, and it is preferred,therefore, to employ this form of guide.

What I claim as my invention, and desire f to obtain by Letters Patent,is-

1. A Wick-trimmer comprising a plate provided With one or more Scrapersand one or more adjustable guides for guiding said plate, substantiallyas described.

2. AWick-trimmer comprising a plate provided with one or more Scrapersand a guide consisting of a series of flexible iingers, substantially asdescribed.

3. A Wick-trimmer comprising a disk provided With a seriesof lips bentfrom said disk to form Scrapers, and a series of iieXible iingersprojecting from said disk, substantially as described.

ROBERT H. WHITE. Vitnesses:

JOHN HENSHAW, R. A. BATES.

